FAQ

Chiropractic FAQ

Allowing a chiropractor to get you back on track both chemically and structurally will bring your body back to the proper state it should be in to perform at its peak.

Why should I see a Chiropractor?

Most people come to my office complaining of painful conditions such as neck pain, back pain, and headaches. After a detailed history and examination, a care plan will be discussed with specific goals as we attempt to help this particular problem. Once we are successful or have reached a level called maximum medical improvement, this specific care plan will be over. Although science has proven that chiropractic care is safe and effective for various types of painful syndromes such as headaches, neck pain, and lower back pain, my philosophy goes much further. After discharge, you will be offered something called wellness care. Wellness care is not covered by insurance but its goal is to prevent regression of a chronic condition. Regular chiropractic adjustments along with recommendations on lifestyle changes such as diet, exercise, and nutrition are proactive ways of moving towards a higher level of health. If you are interested in moving towards a more proactive approach to your health care and away from a reactionary approach to symptoms then chiropractic wellness care is for you!

Is Chiropractic effective?

Chiropractic helps to remove postural imbalances and structural misalignment that can accumulate in our bodies over time. Chiropractic works by restoring your own inborn ability to be healthy. For your body to remain healthy, your nervous system must function well. For your nervous system to function well it must be free of interference. By restoring spinal function with Chiropractic adjustments, nerve interference by misaligned vertebrae is removed, thus allowing optimal nervous system function and improved health.

What can I expect from my first visit to a chiropractor?

Going to the chiropractor is a new experience for many of us. Maybe you heard about us through a friend or have done some research online. Or it is possible that you are just fed up with your current health problem and frustrated with your current form of treatment. At your first visit, I will take a detailed history and do a thorough examination to determine if your particular problem may respond to my treatments. I will then share my thoughts with you in the form of a treatment plan with specific goals. If I determine that I cannot help your particular problem I will try to make recommendations on alternatives.

What results can I expect from treatment?

Chiropractic is based on the idea of removing imbalances both structural and postural in an effort to allow our body to heal itself. For this to happen the network of nerves and signals from your brain, down your spinal cord, to the network of nerves must be allowed to flow freely without any interruption. Chiropractors have the ability and skill to remove these interruptions or misalignments and allow the body to perform as it was meant to.
If you've ever been in a car accident, played a sport, fell down or just bumped into something too hard, it's very possible that you are not functioning at your best due to a misalignment. While there are many potential mechanical or structural causes for misalignment, there are also chemical reasons. For instance, if you smoke or drink excessively or even just have a poor diet, the chemical issues in your body can eventually cause underlying conditions and disease to appear.

What is Subluxation?

When a vertebra or other joint becomes misaligned or moves out of its normal position, this is referred to in the chiropractic profession as a subluxation. Subluxations may be caused by a wide range of issues including cumulative trauma, minor slips or bumps, and sudden traumas such as car accidents or sports injuries. This minor misalignment can alter the motion integrity and /or physiologic function of the joint which thereby alters the nerve flow, blood flow, and tissue integrity around a joint. Also, normal communication through the nervous system across this area can be disrupted.

How does chiropractic care work?

Chiropractic is a natural healing art that recognizes the human body's innate ability to self-heal. Homeostasis is a word to describe how our bodies strive to do the best it can do given the situation that it is in. Our brain is always trying to run our body optimally by sensing what is going on both inside and outside of us and reacting accordingly. It is important for the brain to communicate freely with all cells of the body for this process to work at the best possible level. Chiropractors believe that nerve interference can happen when the joints and soft tissues of the body are not healthy. Patients will come to chiropractors most often for injuries or painful syndromes such as back pain, neck pain, headaches, and pinched nerves. It is important to remember however, that if subluxation is present, altered nerve function can present with other symptoms as well. Although we are concerned about your symptoms our goal is to reduce subluxations that are present thereby allowing the nervous system to function optimally. When this happens overall health generally improves.

What is a chiropractic adjustment? Is it safe?

Adjustments or manipulations, as they are sometimes referred to, are forces applied to a subluxation (defined above) either with my hands or an instrument. Many times a cracking sound will be heard similar to when you crack your knuckles. When a subluxation is released in this way it helps to restore the motion integrity, alignment, and physiological function around that specific joint.

Adjustments can be safely applied to people of all ages. Different techniques are used for specific needs. Most of the time there is little pain associated with adjustments unless there is acute inflammation around the joint. Research studies have proven that chiropractic adjustments are safe and effective for various musculoskeletal conditions.

You or a loved one may ask: "Why it is necessary to come back for repeated visits? Why will your care take approximately 4 to 6 weeks to complete?"

These are good questions. Especially since higher copays or coinsurance may create an out-of-pocket expense for you of a few hundred dollars.

Here is the reason why your care may take a little longer than you had anticipated. Please feel free to share this with your loved ones who may ask why. The doctor may determine that a significant portion of your complaints and symptoms are due to something known as a cumulative trauma disorder. Cumulative trauma disorder is a major injury problem amongst the general population in this country. According to federal statistics it has worsened by 670 percent in the last 5 years. The injury involves muscles, tendons, bones, joints, blood vessels, fascia, and/or nerves. These injuries are a result of a variety of causes including repetitive uses, repetitive motions, poor postures, and improper lifting techniques. They result in a well-documented and scientifically defined cascade of events leading to weak and tight tissues, increased friction and pressure in those tissues, decreased circulation which can cause localized edema and adhesion/fibrosis production, and recurring inflammation. The result is what the doctor found in your examination when he found those tight tender nodular muscle points, radiating trigger points, and joint dysfunction. These changes usually occur slowly over time in a downward spiral. It is also possible to have an acute injury such as an auto accident or lifting on top of this already injured tissue. These types of injuries will take the longest to correct.

In any event, these cumulative trauma disorders create those symptoms like recurring headaches, muscle tightness/stiffness/ache, as well as numbness and tingling down an arm and/or leg. Our care plan will be designed to try and reverse these negative tissue changes. We may be doing things like adjusting your joints, traction, using traditional therapy modalities such as electrical muscle stimulation with heat, ultrasound, High power laser, and stretching to break up fibrotic adhesions in the muscles and tendons. You will also be asked to participate by doing home exercises and stretches as well as possibly taking simple nutritional supplements that stimulate the healing process.

Our goal is not to simply put a patch on your problem or treat the symptom. Through our care we will try to make the necessary tissue changes that will afford you long-lasting benefits and decrease your need for potentially dangerous medications. We will also recommend nutritional and lifestyle changes that can decrease the incidence of recurrence.

These tissue changes will take time. We should begin to notice some positive changes within a few visits; however, there can be increased symptoms initially depending on your condition and the types of treatments we need to perform. The ultimate success will be determined by your ability to keep your regularly scheduled visits and also to do the recommended homework that the doctor will prescribe.

Don't let the symptoms alone be your guide to when no further treatment is needed! Our promise to you is to recommend no more care than you actually need while at the same time making the necessary changes in your anatomy to afford you the best success possible. My staff and I are available to you for any questions that you may have. Thank you for allowing us to participate in your health care. Our goal is to earn your trust. If I do not think I can help you I will explain that to you as well and make whatever recommendations I can.


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Monday:

8:00 am-12:00 pm

2:00 pm-6:30 pm

Tuesday:

8:00 am-12:00 pm

2:00 pm-6:00 pm

Wednesday:

8:00 am-12:00 pm

2:00 pm-6:30 pm

Thursday:

2:00 pm-6:30 pm

Friday:

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